Holster safety clasp

ABSTRACT

A handgun holster of the type including a pair of side-by-side upstanding panels joined together along corresponding upstanding edges to form an upwardly opening recess for receiving all but the butt and trigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handgun inserted barrel first downwardly into said recess. A latch member is provided and includes a generally horizontally directed portion extending generally transverse of the panels and is supported from the holster for back and forth shifting between operative and inoperative positions. Spring structure is provided for yieldingly biasing the latch to a position with the horizontally directed portion in its operative position and a readily releasable latch retaining structure is operatively associated with the holder and latch member for retaining the latch member in the operative position thereof. The horizontally directed portion of the latch member extends through the planes of the panels adjacent the intersections of the upper ends of one pair of upstanding edge portions of the panels and the adjacent ends of the upper edges of the panels when the latch member is in its operative position and the horizontally directed portion of the latch member being horizontally retracted to one side of the planes of the panels when the latch member is in the inoperative position, the horizontally directed portion, when the latch member is in its operative position, passing through the area enclosed by a handgun trigger guard and thus preventing withdrawal of the handgun from the holster.

United States Patent 11 1 Hamby 14 1 Feb. 18, 1975 1 1 HOLSTER SAFETYCLASP [76] Inventor: Robert L. Hamby, 1508 First Ave.,

Dodge City, Kans. 68701 22 Filed: Apr. 16, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 351,449

Primary Examiner-Albert .l. Makay Assistant Examiner.lerold M. ForsbergAttorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A OBrien & Harvey B. Jacobson [57]ABSTRACT A handgun holster of the type including a pair of sideby-sideupstanding panels joined together along corresponding upstanding edgesto form an upwardly opening recess for receiving all but the butt andtrigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handgun inserted barrelfirst downwardly into said recess. A latch member is provided andincludes a generally horizontally directed portion extending generallytransverse of the panels and is supported from the holster for back andforth shifting between operative and inoperative positions. Springstructure is provided for yieldingly biasing the latch to a positionwith the horizontally directed portion in its operative position and areadily releasable latch retaining structure is operatively associatedwith the holder and latch member for retaining the latch member in theoperative position thereof. The horizontally directed portion of thelatch member extends through the planes of the panels adjacent theintersections of the upper ends of one pair of upstanding edge portionsof the panels and the adjacent ends of the upper edges of the panelswhen the latch mem her is in its operative position and the horizontallydirected portion of the latch member being horizontally retracted to oneside of the planes of the panels when the latch member is in theinoperative position. the horizontally directed portion, when the latchmember is in its operative position, passing through the area enclosedby a handgun trigger guard and thus preventing withdrawal of the handgunfrom the holster.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 HOLSTER SAFETY CLASP The safety clasp ofthe instant invention has been designed primarily for use on handgunholsters and for the purpose of releasably securing the associatedhandgun in the holster.

There are many instances when law enforcement officers may be handling asuspect without drawn guns and it is possible for a suspect to gainmomentary advantage for the purpose of withdrawing a handgun from theofficers holster. In addition, it is possible that during a runningchase a holstered gun could be jarred loose from its holster and drop tothe ground.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a safetyclasp for handgun holsters that may be utilized to releasably securehandguns in the holsters.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a clasp of the readily releasable typewhereby the person carrying a holstered handgun may gain rapid access toand withdraw his handgun with little difficulty.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combined handgunholster and handgun clasp structure which may be utilized bysubstantially all law enforcement officers.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a handgun claspwhich may be in the form of an attachment for attachment to existingholsters.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a handgun clasp for holsters and which will conform toconventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy touse so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, longlasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional form of holstersupporting a revolver and with the safety clasp of the instant inventionoperatively associated with the holster and the trigger guard of therevolver;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the safety clasp andadjacent holster portion illustrating the release by which the clasp maybe shifted to an inoperative position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line of 3--3 ofFIG. 1 and with an inoperative position of the clasp being illustratedin phantom lines;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shiftable clasp latching member.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral generallydesignates a conventional form of holster including upstanding oppositeside panels 12 and 14 and a support panel 16. The panels 12 and 14 areintegral and joined by a U-shaped forward portion 18. The rearupstanding marginal edge portions of the panels 12 and 14 as well as thepanel 16 are secured together by stitching 20 and the support panel 16is supported from the belt 22 of the user in any convenient manner (notshown). An upwardly opening recess is defined by the holster 10 forseatingly receiving the lower portions of a downwardly pointed revolver24.

.When the revolver 24 is disposed in the holster 10 the downwardlyfacing forward portion 26 of the trigger guard 28 is abutted against therear portions of the upper marginal edges of the panels 12 and 14.

The safety clasp of the instant invention is referred to in general bythe reference numeral 30 and includes a U-shaped mounting bracket 32including opposite side flanges 34 and 36 interconnected by means of abight portion 38. The mounting bracket clampingly engages the rearmarginal edge portions of the panels 12, I4 and 16 with the upper edgesof the bracket 32 substantially flush with the adjacent upper marginaledges of the panels 12 and 14. The side flanges 34 and 36 includeregistered horizontal bores 40 and 42 and the panels 12, 14 and 16include aligned horizontal bores 44, 46 and 48 with which the bores 40and 42 are registrable. The bores 44, 46 and 48 may be cylindrical, butthe bores or openings 40 and 42 are square in crosssectional shape.

A latch member referred to in general by the reference numeral 50 isprovided and includes a horizontally elongated shank 52 having anintegral upstanding leg 54 at one end projecting both above and belowthe adjacent end of the shank 52 and whose upper end curves smoothlyover the shank 52 and terminates in a horizontally directed position 56generally paralleling the shank 52. The end of the shank 52 remote fromthe leg 54 includes an upwardly and outwardly facing generally quartercylindrical cam surface 58 and also is relieved as at 60 on each of itsfour sides to define a peripherally extending groove.

The end of the shank 52 remote from the leg 54 is inserted through theregistered bores and openings 44, 46, 48, 40 and 42 from the outer sideof the flange 34 and a coiled compression spring 62 is disposed aboutthe shank 52 between the leg 54 and the outer side of the flange 34whereby the latch member 50 is yieldingly biased toward the phantom lineposition thereof illustrated in FIG. 3. The shank 52 is slotted as at 64and has a U-shaped clip 66 engaged therewith whereby the limit positionof movement of the latch member 50 under the biasing action of thespring 62 illustrated in FIG. 3 in phantom lines is defined by abutmentof the U-shaped clip 66 with the inner side of the flange 34.

The shank 52 has a blind bore 68 formed therein opening outwardlythrough the cam surface 58 and an actuating pin 70 is provided and isreciprocal in the bore 68. The inner end of the pin 70 includes adiametrically enlarged head 72 held captive between the inner end of thebore 68 and the clip 66 and the outer end of the pin 70 projectsoutwardly of the cam surface 58 and is provided with a diametricallyenlarged head 74.

A pivot pin 76 is secured through the flanges 34 and 36 and the panelsl2, l4 and 16 and oscillatably supports a latching lever 78 on the outerside of the flange 36. The latching lever 78 includes a first fingerengageable end portion 80 and a second notched shank engaging endportion 82 for releasably engaging the relieved portions 60 of the shank52. Also, the end portion 82 includes a cam surface 84 which isengageable with the cam surface 58 and a compression spring 86 isconnected between the lever 78 and the flange 36 and yieldingly biasesthe lever 78 in a counterclockwise direction to the position thereofillustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings with the end portion 82 engagedwith the relieved areas 60 of the shank 52. Further, it may be seen thatthe free end of the horizontally directed portion 56 includes aresilient covering 88 including a cam surface 90.

In operation, and assuming the handgun 24, holster and safety clasp 30to be relatively positioned as illustrated in FIGS. I through 3 of thedrawings, it will be noted that the horizontally directed portion 56 ofthe latch member 50 projects into the area encompassed by the triggerguard 28 at a point spaced closely above the rear face of the forwardportion 26 of the trigger guard 28. Therefore, it may be seen that thehandgun 24 may not be withdrawn from the holster 10. When it is desiredto remove the handgun 24 from the holster 10, the lower end portion 80of the lever 78 is pushed toward the left as viewed in FIG. 2 of thedrawings whereby the lever 78 will be slightly angularly displaced in aclockwise direction so as to disengage the portion 82 from the relievedarea 60 of the shank 52. Upon disengagement of the end portion 82 fromthe shank 52, the compression spring 62 will automatically shift thelatch member 50 from the operative position illustrated in solid linesin FIG. 3 of the drawings to the inoperative position illustrated inphantom lines with the U-shaped clip 66 abutted against the inner faceof the flange 34. Of course, in this position of the latch member 50,the horizontal end portion 56 is withdrawn from within the trigger guard28 and the handgun 24 may be readily lifted from the holster l0.Oscillatory movement of the lever 78 to the released position thereofwill release the shank 52 for movement from the solid line position ofFIG. 3 to the phantom line position of FIG. 3. However, the end portion82 of the latch 78 will engage the head 74 of the pin 70 to extend thelatter outwardly from the bore 70 as the latch member 50 is shiftedtoward the left in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Of course, the head 72 willabut the C-shaped clip 66 to limit outward movement of the pin 70relative to the shank 52. However, with the pin 70 and head 74 thusextended, the head 74 may be readily grasped after the revolver 24 hasagain been replaced in the holster 10 in order to exert a pull on thehead 74 and thus the shank 52 so as to return the latter to the solidline position of FIG. 3 of the drawings and thereby again lock thehandgun 24 within the holster 10. Of course, the cam surface 90 willcoact with the forward portion 26 of the trigger guard 28 to cam thehandgun 24 down into its final seated position within the holster 10, inthe event the handgun 24 is not fully seated within the holster prior tothe shank 52 being returned to the solid line position thereofillustrated in FIG. 3. Of course, as the shank 52 is returned to theright as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the cam surface 58 engagesthe cam surface 84 so as to cam the latch lever 58 out of the way untilthe end portion 82 thereof is registered with the relieved areas 60. Theforegoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of theinvention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a handgun holster including a pair ofside-by-side upstanding panels having spaced apart upper edges and pairsof corresponding upstanding side edges joined together to form anupwardly opening recess defining receptacle for receiving all but thebutt and trigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handguninserted barrel first into said recess, latch means including anelongated generally horizontally directed portion extending and having alongitudinal axis generally transverse of said panels and supported fromsaid holster for axial back and forth shifting between operative andinoperative positions, means yieldingly biasing said latch means to aposition with said horizontally directed portion in said inoperativeposition, and readily releasable latch retaining means operativelyassociated with said holster and latch means for retaining said latchmeans in the operative position thereof, said horizontally directedportion being disposed slightly above one pair of corresponding ends ofsaid upper edges inwardly of the terminal ends thereof and extendingthrough the planes of said panels adjacent the intersection of the upperends of one pair of upstanding edge portions of said panels and theadjacent ends of the upper edges of said panels when in said operativeposition for preventing withdrawal of the handgun from the holster andbeing horizontally retracted to said planes when in the inoperativeposition.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes asupporting shank portion generally paralleling said horizontallydirected portion and supported from said holster for lengthwiserectilinear reciprocation relative thereto.

3. The combination of claim 2 including a U-shaped mounting bracketclampingly embracingly engaging and secured to said one pair ofupstanding edge portions of said panels, said shank portion beingreciprocally supported from said mounting bracket.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said means yieldingly biasing saidlatch means to said operative position comprises a compression springdisposed about said shank portion and having one end thereof abuttedagainst said mounting bracket and the other end thereof operativelyanchored to said latch means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said latch retaining meanscomprises a latching lever pivotally supported from said U-shapedmounting bracket for oscillation about an axis generally parallelingsaid shank portion, said latching lever being oscillatable between firstand second positions, means connected between said latching lever andsaid bracket yieldingly urging said latching lever to said firstposition, said latching lever and shank portion including coactingportions releasably engaged with each other when said latching lever isin said first position and said latch means is in said operativeposition.

6. In combination with a handgun holster including a pair ofside-by-side upstanding panels joined together along correspondingupstanding edges to form an upwardly opening recess defining receptaclefor receiving all but the butt and trigger guard portions of adownwardly directed handgun inserted barrel first into said recess,latch means including a generally horizontally directed portionextending generally transverse of said panels and supported from saidholster for back and forth shifting between operative and inoperativepositions, means yieldingly biasing said latch means to a position withsaid horizontally directed portion in said inoperative position, andreadily releasable latch retaining means operatively associated withsaid holster and latch means for retaining said latch means in theoperative position thereof, said horizontally directed portion extendingthrough the planes of said panels adjacent the intersection of the upperends of one pair of upstanding edge portions of said panels and theadjacent ends of the upper edges of said panels and being horizontallyretracted to one side of said planes when in the retracted position,said latch means including a supporting shank portion generallyparalleling said horizontally directed portion and supported from saidholster for lengthwise rectilinear reciprocation relative thereto, aU-shaped mounting bracket clampingly embracingly engaging and secured tosaid one pair of upstanding edge portions of said panels, said shankportion being reciprocally supported from said mounting bracket, saidmeans yieldingly biasing said latch means to said operative positioncomprising a compression spring disposed about said shank portion andhaving one end thereof abutted against said mounting bracket and theother end thereof operatively anchored to said latch means, said latchretaining means comprising a latching lever pivotally supported fromsaid U-shaped mounting bracket for oscillation about an axis generallyparalleling said shank portion, said latching lever being oscillatablebetween said first and second positions, means connected between saidlatching lever and said bracket yieldingly urging said latching lever tosaid first position, said latching lever and shank portion includingcoacting portions releasably engaged with each other when said latchinglever is in said first position and said latch means is in saidoperative position, one end portion of said shank portion including alengthwise extendable and retractable elongated pull rod, said latchinglever and the outer end of said pull rod including coacting portionsoperable to automatically extend said pull rod relative to said shankportion upon actuation of said latching lever to release said shankportion for movement under the biasing action of said compression springto a position thereof with said horizontally directed portion in saidinoperative position.

7. In combination with a holster including opposite side portionsbetween which an upwardly opening recess is defined for receiving allbut the butt and trigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handguninserted barrel first into said recess and including corresponding endmarginal edges of said sides having one pair of corresponding endportions adapted to be engaged by the forward portion of the triggerguard of the handgun to limit penetration of the handgun into theholster, a latch structure for releasably retaining a handgun in saidholster, said latch structure including an elongated and generallyhorizontally disposed latch portion, said latch portion having alongitudinal axis disposed transverse to said holster, means supportingsaid latch structure from said holster for axial reciprocation of saidlatch portion relative to the holster along a path spaced slightlyoutwardly of said corresponding end edge end portions between first andsecond operative and inoperative positions, said latch portions, when inthe operative position, being disposed slightly outwardly of saidcorresponding end edge end portions for positioning behind said forwardtrigger guard portion whereby the handgun may not be withdrawn from theholster, said latch portion, when in the inoperative position, beingretracted to one side of said corresponding end edge end portions.

8. The combination of claim 7 including means yieldingly biasing saidlatch portion toward said inoperative position, and latch meansreleasably engageable with said latch portion for releasably retainingsaid latch portion in said operative position.

1. In combination with a handgun holster including a pair ofside-by-side upstanding panels having spaced apart upper edges and pairsof corresponding upstanding side edges joined together to form anupwardly opening recess defining receptacle for receiving all but thebutt and trigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handguninserted barrel first into said recess, latch means including anelongated generally horizontally directed portion extending and having alongitudinal axis generally transverse of said panels and supported fromsaid holster for axial back and forth shifting between operative andinoperative positions, means yieldingly biasing said latch means to aposition with said horizontally directed portion in said inoperativeposition, and readily releasable latch retaining means operativelyassociated with said holster and latch means for retaining said latchmeans in the operative position thereof, said horizontally directedportion being disposed slightly above one pair of corresponding ends ofsaid upper edges inwardly of the terminal ends thereof and extendingthrough the planes of said panels adjacent the intersection of the upperends of one pair of upstanding edge portions of said panels and theadjacent ends of the upper edges of said panels when in said operativeposition for preventing withdrawal of the handgun from the holster andbeing horizontally retracted to said planes when in the inoperativeposition.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch meansincludes a supporting shank portion generally paralleling saidhorizontally directed portion and supported from said holster forlengthwise rectilinear reciprocation relative thereto.
 3. Thecombination of claim 2 including a U-shaped mounting bracket clampinglyembracingly engaging and secured to said one pair of upstanding edgeportions of said panels, said shank portion being reciprocally supportedfrom said mounting bracket.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein saidmeans yieldingly biasing said latch means to said operative positioncomprises a compression spring disposed about said shank portion andhaving one end thereof abutted against said mounting bracket and theother end thereof operatively anchored to said latch means.
 5. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said latch retaining means comprises alatching lever pivotally supported from said U-shaped mounting bracketfor oscillation about an axis generally paralleling said shank portion,said latching lever being oscillatable between first and secondpositions, means connected between said latching lever and said bracketyieldingly urging said latching lever to said first position, saidlatching lever and shank portion including coacting portions releasablyengaged with each other when said latching lever is in said firstposition and said latch means is in said operative position.
 6. Incombination with a handgun holster including a pair of side-by-sideupstanding panels joined together along corresponding upstanding edgesto form an upwardly opening recess defining receptacle for receiving allbut the butt and trigger guard portions of a downwardly directed handguninserted barrel first into said recess, latch means including agenerally horizontally directed portion extending generally transverseof said panels and supported from said holster for back and forthshifting between operative and inoperative positions, means yieldinglybiasing said latch means to a position with said horizontally directedportion in said inoperative position, and readily releasable latchretaining means operatively associated with said holster and latcH meansfor retaining said latch means in the operative position thereof, saidhorizontally directed portion extending through the planes of saidpanels adjacent the intersection of the upper ends of one pair ofupstanding edge portions of said panels and the adjacent ends of theupper edges of said panels and being horizontally retracted to one sideof said planes when in the retracted position, said latch meansincluding a supporting shank portion generally paralleling saidhorizontally directed portion and supported from said holster forlengthwise rectilinear reciprocation relative thereto, a U-shapedmounting bracket clampingly embracingly engaging and secured to said onepair of upstanding edge portions of said panels, said shank portionbeing reciprocally supported from said mounting bracket, said meansyieldingly biasing said latch means to said operative positioncomprising a compression spring disposed about said shank portion andhaving one end thereof abutted against said mounting bracket and theother end thereof operatively anchored to said latch means, said latchretaining means comprising a latching lever pivotally supported fromsaid U-shaped mounting bracket for oscillation about an axis generallyparalleling said shank portion, said latching lever being oscillatablebetween said first and second positions, means connected between saidlatching lever and said bracket yieldingly urging said latching lever tosaid first position, said latching lever and shank portion includingcoacting portions releasably engaged with each other when said latchinglever is in said first position and said latch means is in saidoperative position, one end portion of said shank portion including alengthwise extendable and retractable elongated pull rod, said latchinglever and the outer end of said pull rod including coacting portionsoperable to automatically extend said pull rod relative to said shankportion upon actuation of said latching lever to release said shankportion for movement under the biasing action of said compression springto a position thereof with said horizontally directed portion in saidinoperative position.
 7. In combination with a holster includingopposite side portions between which an upwardly opening recess isdefined for receiving all but the butt and trigger guard portions of adownwardly directed handgun inserted barrel first into said recess andincluding corresponding end marginal edges of said sides having one pairof corresponding end portions adapted to be engaged by the forwardportion of the trigger guard of the handgun to limit penetration of thehandgun into the holster, a latch structure for releasably retaining ahandgun in said holster, said latch structure including an elongated andgenerally horizontally disposed latch portion, said latch portion havinga longitudinal axis disposed transverse to said holster, meanssupporting said latch structure from said holster for axialreciprocation of said latch portion relative to the holster along a pathspaced slightly outwardly of said corresponding end edge end portionsbetween first and second operative and inoperative positions, said latchportions, when in the operative position, being disposed slightlyoutwardly of said corresponding end edge end portions for positioningbehind said forward trigger guard portion whereby the handgun may not bewithdrawn from the holster, said latch portion, when in the inoperativeposition, being retracted to one side of said corresponding end edge endportions.
 8. The combination of claim 7 including means yieldinglybiasing said latch portion toward said inoperative position, and latchmeans releasably engageable with said latch portion for releasablyretaining said latch portion in said operative position.